Abiding in Christ includes His Word abiding in us. If we don’t know the Word, we won’t really know Jesus — who He is, what He has done and what He continues to do, what He has promised — and we won’t know how to respond to all that God sovereignly brings into our lives.
That’s why i’m driven to keep writing Busy Mamas Bible Studies, no matter how crazy it sometimes gets trying to write the day’s lesson. We need to be in God’s Word!
Part of what I hope we’ve accomplished over the past month is to equip you for studying more effectively on your own. When I discovered inductive Bible study, and then Blue Letter Bible, it brought a whole new level of vitality and excitement to my time in the Word each day. There is so, so much we could study! Bible study can be a joy, something we long to sit down to each day!
You’ll find a sampling of ideas for continued study listed below. Some of these ideas are directly linked to our study of John 15. Others are little side trips to related topics. I also list some suggestions, if you would like to continue studying with some guidance.
Here are a few of the possibilities:
- Simply copy the entire chapter, thinking about what you’re writing as you do. Keep a list of questions that come up as you copy, and use that list for further study.
- If you did not use the children’s lessons as you did your study of John 15, do those with your children for the next month. It will be a good review for you.
- Outline John 15, breaking the chapter into sections and main points.
- Read John 15 in a different translation each day for a week. Does anything new stand out to you by simply reading the chapter in less familiar words? (Use the “Bibles” tool on Blue Letter Bible. App users will use the tool called “Translation Comparison.”)
- Study the word abide and how it is used throughout the New Testament. Note its use especially in Gospel of John and epistles of John.
- Study the word abide in the Old Testament. Is its meaning similar to that in the New Testament? Is more than one Hebrew word translated abide in English?
- If you haven’t done the Busy Mamas study of Psalm 91, do that study next. (You can find it in the archives here in the right-hand sidebar.) When you have finished, compare the concept of abiding in the shelter of the Almighty (as described in the Psalm) with Jesus’ command to abide in Him. How are these the same? How are they different?
- Study all the cross-references given in Blue Letter Bible for John 15:12. Notice the similarity of John’s message in the verses from 1 John. According to these verses, what does loving one another look like?
- Study the word chose as it appears in John 15:16. Read all the other verses that include this original Greek word. How does this expand your understanding of being chosen by Jesus?
- Use the “Cross-References” tool on Blue Letter Bible to read and study the other verses in Scripture that relate to John 15:16 and being chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
- We only looked at the word but in verses 15-27. Read verses 1-14, noting each use of the word but, and recording what is said on both sides of the word. What sort of contrasts are being made? What do you learn from them?
- Study the words vine and vineyard in the rest of Scripture, in both Old and New Testaments. What do vineyards usually represent? Why is Jesus the true vine?
- Use the “Dictionaries” tools on Blue Letter Bible to study the topic of persecution. Nave’s Topical Bible, shown with an “N” in the dictionary listings, will give you plenty of verses to study.
- Study the word friend as it is associated with God. Who has been identified as God’s friends in Scripture? Why?
- Study the rest of Jesus’ “farewell discourse” in John 13-17. Use the same approach we used with Chapter 15, marking words and studying their meanings and use in Scripture. Read cross-references. Link verses with similar verses from Chapter 15. Refer to commentaries after you have done your own study. This could keep you busy until our next study starts in November!
- Read the entire Gospel of John, paying special attention to Jesus’ miracles (“the works that no one else did,” as He describes them in John 15:24). What sorts of miracles does He perform? How do the people respond? How do the Jewish leaders respond? Why?
- Read the entire Gospel of John, paying special attention to those who hated Jesus. Why did they hate Him? What did they do to Him because of their hatred?
- Type “commandment AND love” into the search box on Blue Letter Bible. Carefully study each of the verses listed, also taking the time to read each one in its context. (Click on the verse reference to open up its chapter, or on the verse itself, if you are using Blue letter Bible’s app.)
- Because Jesus says He has loved us like His Father loves Him, study the Father’s love for Jesus. How is it reflected in Jesus’ love for us?
- Use the “Commentaries” tool on Blue Letter Bible to read about particular verses in John 15, or listen to some of the talks (especially those of Elisabeth Elliot) related to specific verses.
- Study in more detail the “I ams” that Jesus spoke in the Gospel of John. (See the optional lesson on Day 16 for general directions.)
- For additional guidance in studying your Bible inductively, do one of the other fourteen Busy Mamas Bible Studies that are available at no cost in the archives of this blog. (Eight of them can also be purchased in print form.)
- Learn additional Bible study methods while you study God’s definition of beauty with Beauty in the Heart, or God’s definition of strength with Because You Are Strong. Both of these studies would be excellent choices to do along with your older children.
- Purchase a New Inductive Study Bible and follow the excellent study suggestions in it as you read and study your way through a particular book, or through the Bible.
- Be sure to stay subscribed to this blog where I will be posting other Bible study related material, and where our next study — on Proverbs 3 — will start on November 1!
- Follow Doorpostslady on Instagram for occasional mini-studies between our regular online studies in March, July, and November. These mini-studies are less detailed than our regular studies, and shorter — a great way to introduce others (including your older children) to basic Bible study methods, and a simple way to find direction for your own study if you need it. For at least part of August, we will be studying Psalm 15 with short, daily Instagram instructions.
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